Tsvangirai read the riot act to the opposition

MDC-T leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday read the riot act to the opposition, telling them there will be no equality when it comes to the formation of the proposed coalition, an indication he wants his party to dominate the leadership.

Mr Tsvangirai was speaking at his Highlands residence in the capital after he summoned a third political outfit, Transform Zimbabwe led by Mr Jacob Ngarivhume, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for the proposed coalition of opposition parties ahead of next year's general elections.

In April this year, Mr Tsvangirai summoned National People's Party leadership led by former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, who gladly obliged and signed the MoU.

MDC leader Professor Welshman Ncube latter went to sign a similar MoU at Mr Tsvangirai's residence, both confirming their underdog status.

In yesterday's signing ceremony, Mr Tsvangirai asserted his superiority complex by reading the riot act on opposition parties, saying there was no equality.

Several opposition parties have in the past slammed Mr Tsvangirai for his "big-headed and big-brother mentality". "We in the MDC-T are guided by certain principles and I am glad Mr Ngarivhume highlighted some of them," said Mr Tsvangirai.

"One, this is a bilateral issue and not a multilateral issue. Secondly, we are discussing this coalition issue with institutions and not individuals. Number three, there is no such thing as equality.

"Yes, we can discuss and we are equal when we are discussing the question of coalition, but when it comes to formulating a negotiated position, equity becomes the yardstick because we are not all equal.

"I will be very open and I am not insulting anybody. If you want to be part of this serious exercise which I believe Zimbabweans deserve, then be serious. Have an institution and not individuals."

To confirm his underdog status, Mr Ngarivhume said he was excited to sign a coalition with the MDC-T, adding that no viable coalition could be made without Mr Tsvangirai. "As TZ we acknowledge the need for us to work together with other political parties," he said.

"We also believe that MDC-T is a very important partner as we approach 2018 because they are the main opposition party in the country and we know that for any meaningful alliance you would need the MDC-T. "So, we are quite happy that we are entering into this alliance and hope we will continue to work together to create a formidable party."

To assert his dominance, Mr Tsvangirai said his party's national executive met yesterday and had given itself up to end of this month to negotiate coalitions and thereafter focus on election preparations.

"All coalition discussions should end by end of this month and after that the party should now engage in organisational work, which is preparing for elections, building networks," he said.

"We want to capture the 60 percent, what I would call the truant: those who see the crisis affecting them, but doing nothing to contribute to that change. We are saying we need to work with that particular demographic that includes the young voters who are normalising the abnormal; young voters who think selling airtime is normal."

Asked why he was holding the signing ceremonies at his residence, Mr Tsvangirai claimed the environment was conducive, without elaborating.

"There is nothing significant," he said. "You interpret it yourself. It is a nice environment. I think everyone is comfortable, besides no one is forced to come here, but we agree."